Salisbury School: Admissions Blog

We’ve all been there. Your history teacher assigns you a topic, you spend a week or so in the library researching, and you write a paper with a well-developed thesis, making sure your citations are correct and your grammar, spelling, and punctuation are on point. You turn the paper in and after a few days, you get it back with a grade. The teacher moves on to the next thing, and, while you surely developed your skills during the process, it’s not long before the paper is a distant memory other than its place in the grade book and, perhaps, the bottom of a backpack. That’s usually the end of it, but it doesn’t have to be.  

There are some universal truths for applicants, no matter what country a student is from; a student wants to find the right match academically and socially, be challenged and supported, and have a positive outcome result.  

At the 2018 Independent Educational Consultant Association conference, Dr. Jean M. Twenge presented her findings that were published in her book, iGen, Why Today’s Super-Connected Kids Are Growing Up Less Rebellious, More Tolerant, Less Happy-and Completely Unprepared for Adulthood. The statistics she shares are remarkable and concerning. We all have read similar research.  Just recently, one of our boarding school colleagues led an excellent, similarly themed workshop at the annual TABS conference. Obviously, this topic is “front of mind” with educators right now.

"An extra year of school?"

"I'm being held back?"

"Won't I have to take all the same classes?"

Often the idea of repeating a year of school is associated with a negative stigma and looked at as a punishment.  However, repeating a year of school, particularly for a boy, reaps benefits that pay dividends in the future. 

In a supportive and engaging single-sex environment, students establish a foundation for making responsible decisions, forge healthy relationships and step out of their comfort zone to explore their full potential both inside and outside of the classroom.    

Renowned educators and psychologists have published volumes on the value of a single-sex education. While young men can and do excel in many types of educational institutions, schools designed for boys nurture confidence and inspire growth, while fostering academic success and the development of a young man of character in a balanced and supportive setting.   How do single-sex schools foster this personal growth and development?: 

Considering a boarding school option can be an emotionally difficult decision for both parents and students.  Parting with family and friends and establishing new friendships doesn't come easily to everyone.  So why even consider making such sacrifices?  What is it about the boarding school experience that can complement your educational formation so well?  Here, we take a look at the value of the boarding environment at Salisbury School.